Supporting means for trousers and the like



March 28, 1933. J, C SMITH 1,902,895

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TROUSERS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 19, 19:52 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE FREDERICK JOSEPH CHARLES SMITH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB TO TENOVA LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TROUSERS AND THE LIKE Application filed November 19, 1932, Serial No.

This invention relates to supporting means for trousers and the like of the kind which is supplemental to the usual front or like fastening and which comprises an elastic or like band situated at the waist of the garment to be supported and adapted to extend only partly therearound when in use on the wearer.

Devices of the above general type are fitted on the exterior of the garment to be supported and usually at the back.

When applied to trousers this is a distinct disadvantage as apart from being unsightly it imposes a severe strain on the usual front buttons or other fastening so that should one or more of such buttons come away or become unfastened the device will fail to act as a suport.

P The object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved supporting device which is equally applicable to mens trousers and ladies skirts which in use will be normally invisible and which will, in the case of trousers, impose no strain on the usual front buttons which may be left undone if desired without in any way afiecting the support provided by the device according to this invention and which also will act as an abdominal sugport to the wearer.

roadly this invention consists of supporting means for trousers, skirts and like wearing apparel having buttons or other front or equivalent fastening, said supporting means being in use supplemental to said front or like fastening and extending across the front of the wearer within and from attachments at opposite sides of the waist-band of the garment so as to be free of said waist-band between the points of attachment and permit said front or like fastening to be undone independently of the supporting means and without aflecting the support provided by such supporting means.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and carried into effect several embodiments of the same will now be described, by way of example, by aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the application of one form of supporting means 643,483, and in Great Britain October 30, 1931.

according to this invention to a pair of mens trousers.

Figs. 2 and 3 are a front elevation and plan view respectively of a supporting means similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but having a modified form of fastening.

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of a fur-' thcr modified form of supporting means comprising detachable pad pieces for aflixing to the waist of the garment.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of one of the elastic members of the support showing a modified construction in which two parallel strips are used in lieu of the single fullwidth strip as shown in the other figures.

The supporting means according to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 broadly consists of a pair of longitudinally aligned elastic or other extensible hands a which are secured by their outer ends by stitching b to the inside of the waist of the trousers c at the front thereof on opposite sides of the usual opening flaps d. The inner ends of the two hands a are provided with means whereby such ends may be fastened together in a detachable and longitudinally adjustable manner across the front or abdomen of the wearer. In the arrangement shown in Fig.

1 such fastening means comprise metal hooks e fitted to the end of one band engageable with holes or openings f in the opposing end of the other band. Longitudinal adjustment is provided for in this arrangement-by pro-- viding, for example, three series of holes in spaced relationship one behind the other, the hooks 6 being engaged in one or other of such series of holes according to the size of or convenience of the wearer.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 metal loops 9 are substituted for the holes 7. The ends of the bands a in both examples are reinforced by additional thicknesses of preferably, non-elastic material as indicated at h, such forming tabs through which the stitching 7) extends to permanently secure the band a to the garment.

In the modification illustrated in Figs.4 and 5 additional longitudinal adjustment is provided for by employing tabs 11 sewn or. otherwise afiixed to the waist of the garbe substituted for these metal loops, 9.

6 illustrates a modified construction of elastic band which consists of two parallel strips j or more, if desired, secured together by the reinforced ends it. Such a construction of band may, of course, be used in connection with either of the examples of supporting means illustrated.

It will be seen that by'means of this invention we have provided an improved supporting device for trousers and other garments which in use will be normally invisible and which will, in the case of trousers impose no strain on the usual front buttons 7: which as shown in Fig. 1 may be left undone ifdesired,

without'in any way affecting the support provided by the device according to this invention.

I claim:

1. A supporting means for trousers and like garments provided with usual complementary front fastening devices, said supporting means comprising aligned bands having elastic sections, each band being provided at its outer end with a reinforcing tab of substantially non-elastic material and said tabs being adapted for permanent securement to the garment and within the waist hand thereof at about the wearers hips, the inner meeting ends of said bands being provided with be adjusted, the inner or meeting ends of said bands being provided with complementary detachable fasteners, said hands, when fastened as aforesaid, extending across the abdomen of the wearer and acting as a support therefor, and the bands being otherwise unattached to the garment whereby the front I fastening devices of the garment may be undone independently of the supporting means and without afiecting the support provided the garment by said supporting means.

Signed at London, England, this third day of November 1932.

FREDERICK JOSEPH CHARLES SMITH.

a series of complementary detachable fasteners whereby the effective length of the bands may be ad usted, said bands,-when fastened as aforesaid, extending across the abdomen of the wearer and acting as a support therefor, and the bands being otherwise unattached to the garment whereby the front fastening devices thereof may be undone independently of the supporting means and without affecting the support provided the garment by said supporting means.

2. A supporting means for trousers and like garments provided with usual complementary front fastening devices, said supporting means comprising aligned bands having elastic sections, each band being provided at its outer end with a reinforcing tab of substantially non-elastic material and said tabs cooperating with tabs of substantially like material permanently secured to the garment inside the waist band at about the hips of the wearer, said tabs being provided with a series of complementary detachable fasteners whereby the effective length of the bands may 

